Japanese Lab Develops E-Kissing Device

Apparently not content with e-mails and video chat, a Japanese lab is trying to enhance long-distance relationships with electronic kissing.

Yeah, Kajimoto Research Laboratory’s Kiss Transmission Device looks as gross as it sounds. As demonstrated in a video from Diginfo.tv, both users hunker down in front of their respective devices, each with a straw-like contraption on the end. As one user waggles his or her tongue around the straw to rotate it, the straw on the other end rotates accordingly.

Right now, the devices only talk to each other over a single PC, but engineers at the laboratory hope to transmit the information over the Internet, allowing significant others to give each other some cold, sharp, virtual e-tongue from anywhere in the world. The researchers note that kissing information can also be recorded, allowing pop idols to turn their smooching styles into a consumable product.

Eventually, the laboratory hopes to incorporate other kissing parameters, such as manner of breathing, sense of taste and moistness of the tongue. “If we can recreate all of those,” engineer Nobuhiro Takahashi told Diginfo.tv, ” I think it will be a really powerful device.”

Because nothing says “I miss you” like the subtle aftertaste of the burrito your boyfriend just ate for lunch.